Category Archives: Restaurants

By Leslie Dinaberg The first of three new dining experiences coming to Montecito Inn (1295 Coast Village Rd.) this fall from the renowned Scratch Restaurant team is Frankland’s Crab & Co., a modern-day casual seafood shack inspired by chef Phillip Frankland Lee’s childhood memories of good times with loved ones accompanied by seaside meals of […]

Some good news for Goleta: longtime Finch & Fork Executive Chef James Siao has taken on the dual role as Executive Chef of the Canary Hotel‘s sister property, Outpost at the Goodland. For the past five years, Siao has done an excellent job creating elevated comfort food at Finch & Fork. Our recent meal was no […]

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg As if there were any doubt that Santa Barbara County is Wine Country, Wine Spectator recently honored 20 local restaurants with their highest honors for excellence. “Wine Spectator‘s Restaurant Awards recognize restaurants whose wine lists offer interesting selections, are appropriate to their cuisine and appeal to […]

Richard Lambert, the local chef behind the beloved (and now gone) Santa Barbara Tamales To Go, has turned his culinary talents toward Mexico City’s colorful street food scene with a new book, A Visitor’s Guide to Mexico City Street Food, that turns the spotlight on the world’s number one travel destination (New York Times). Lambert lived […]

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg Nothing says summer like sipping a Margarita on the rocks on 4th of July weekend, as far as I’m concerned, but if you want to mix it up a bit, there are lots of great cocktail options around town. Switching out Tequila for Mezcal is […]

Believe it or not, it was about a year that Angel Oak first opened its doors, offering a unique twist on the traditional steak and seafood concept—not to mention that killer ocean view! The signature restaurant of Bacara Resort & Spa celebrates its one-year anniversary with a community party on June 25. To showcase Angel Oak’s appreciation […]

By Leslie Dinaberg It’s officially summer time, and the seasonal offerings at Outpost are designed to savor during those warm, lazy summer nights. We recently enjoyed a terrific tasting of Chef Nick Bajal‘s latest menu. Here are some of the highlights: I started off the evening with fun new cocktail, Rabbit Season, which features […]

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg You know that summer is finally here when Finch & Fork and the Canary Hotel start up their popular wine tasting series, Sip & Swirl. This monthly series features local wines, cheese and entertainment set to stunning views from downtown’s only rooftop terrace. Quite frankly, the scenery alone is enough to make […]

From refined ranch cooking to gourmet burgers and creative couplings of unexpected ingredients to upscale wine country cuisine, the Santa Ynez Valley has a host of terrific new places to dine out and indulge in this summer. By Leslie Dinaberg Beer & (Big) Bites in Buellton “The Kitchen” at FigMtnBrew is now open and, as […]

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg Conveniently situated just a hop, skim and jump away from our office, Eureka! (located at 601 Paseo Nuevo in the downtown mall) is one of my go-to places to grab a quick drink after work, and a slew of new menu items make it an even better […]